


The Fall Of The World (Thank God I Have My Brother)

by Egosdelirium



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Angst and Tragedy, Apocalypse, Atsumu can't ever catch a break, Character Death, Gen, Just angst, Minor Character Death, Protective Miya Atsumu, as usual, past miya atsumu/kita shinsuke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:00:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27136279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Egosdelirium/pseuds/Egosdelirium
Summary: "I'm here, I'll protect ya. The world collapsed on our heads, Osamu, but I'm still here. Ye'r still here. And as long as we have each other we'll be alright, won't we?"OrIn a devastated reality where the earth has crumbled upon itself, Atsumu and Osamu need to be each other's strength to keep living.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Miya Atsumu & Miya Osamu, Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi, Miya Osamu/Suna Rintarou
Comments: 68
Kudos: 231





	1. Careful Son, You Got Dreamer's Plans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [My sister](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=My+sister).



October 12, 2012

It had all begun on a normal day. A day that had been exactly like many others before it.

Osamu woke up first, as usual, cursing at his phone's loud alarm. After groaning and lazying around in bed for a few more minutes he finally got up, showered, got dressed and ate breakfast by himself. He then called his piece of shit brother twice before losing every last bit of residual patience and throwing a pillow at the blonde's face, which effectively got him to crawl out of his bed like an ant out of its anthill.

After loads of whining and complaining on Atsumu's part, they managed to exit their house in time and to head to school.

And classes had been normal throughout the whole morning; as boring and useless as always.

Practice too. Normal. Ordinary.  
Osamu worked on his serve with Ginjima and Atsumu trained with his spikers under Kita-san's watchful eye.

At precisely six o-clock the team members bid goodbye to each other and went each their own way. Suna, who lived just two streets away from the Miya family, walked home with the twins.

When they stepped inside the house a pleasant smell welcomed them warmly, contributing to create the familiar atmosphere that enveloped them as soon as they put one foot on that very same floor that had seen them grow.

Both immediately recognized it as Dad's curry.

Osamu hurried to the kitchen, while Atsumu snorted at his antics and greeted their mother, who was happily reading a book in the living room.

They later ate all together at their huge dining table, that had been a wedding gift to their parents from grandma.

The Last Day had been just like any other day - exactly the same as many others before it.

Peaceful, predictable. A little boring even.

Until it hadn't.  
  


45 minutes to Southwest Japan 001

"Wanna go for a walk? I'm tired of playing this stupid game."

Osamu snickered. "Does it have to do with the fact that you just lost for the third time?"

"Fuck off, ye'r insufferable. Should've eaten ya in the womb."

Atsumu offered him a hand and his brother took it, using it to help himself up from the blue bean bag they had placed in their room, right in front of the old flat screen mom let them keep.

"Yeah, ya should've. But ya didn't."

"Stupidest choice of my life."

"I dunno, Tsumu. I think dying yer hair that color is what wins that title."

"Bastard!"  
  


37 minutes to Southwest Japan 001

"We're goin' out!"

"It was your turn to do the dishes Atsumu, you brat."

"Sorry mom, I'll wash everything as soon as I get back." The woman scoffed but sweetly smiled as her oldest son planted a loud kiss on her cheek.

"Alright, come back home before it gets too dark though. You two have school tomorrow and it's already nine."

"It's not even eight forty-five."

"Shush. I want you back before ten. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. Are you meeting up with Suna?"

"God no or I'll have to thirdwheel again." Atsumu fake gagged as his brother sent him a death stare, at which Mom just laughed wholeheartedly.

"We're just going to that old playground you used to bring us to, Ma. The one with the volleyball court." Interrupted Osamu.

She smiled, warm and bright, and scoffed. "You boys and your obsession. Go, then."  
  


19 minutes to Southwest Japan 001

"Ya need to work on yer tosses."

"But ye'r the setter, not me."

"And, let's see... what if I die?"

"What if ya die?"

"Who will set for the team?"

Osamu side eyed his brother before serving the ball to the other side of the court.

"I wouldn't play if yer stupid ass died."

Atsumu widened his eyes exponentially, which only made him look dumber than usual. "Whaddaya mean, of course ya would! Why wouldn't ya?"

Osamu shrugged. "Ye'r the only one who can keep up with my pace."

"Pretentious little asshole, ya think no one else can apart from me?"

The answer to that was extremely simple: "I don't care about others. Also, why would I even have to worry about it. Do you plan to finally kick the bucket and let me rest my ears?"

Atsumu scoffed and walked over to where the ball had landed in order to pick it up. "Never in a million years. But I think ya should still play, even if I left."

Osamu hummed distractedly and jumped to spike Atsumu's perfectly angled toss.  
Satisfaction glimmered in the silver haired boy's eyes. He then turned around and boredly added "It'd make no sense without ya."

The conversation died at that.  
  


6 minutes to Southwest Japan 001

"It's cold as hell. Can't we go back now? I don't even want to practice anymore."

Atsumu snorted and playfully shoved Osamu. "It's October, how can ya be cold."

"Maybe because ya took my sweatshirt."

The words fell completely deaf to the blonde's ears. "It's not even windy."

A defeated groan. "My God I despise ya."

Osamu sat on the grass, fully conscious that his complaints would never lead to anything more than petty fights. He could still go home by himself if he wanted to and leave the idiot alone behind, but something always seemed to keep him from doing that.

Why?

Why was it always so hard to leave his brother?

An excited voice snapped him out of his thoughts and Osamu glanced up, only to find Atsumu staring at the sky. The blonde's face was coated in childish wonder and it was easy to guess why. The clear night had suddenly been lit up by hundreds, no, thousands of little lights.

The silver haired boy's mouth opened slightly, revealing his own surprise at the spectacle.

"Are those shooting stars?"

"I have no idea. But look! That one is so bright."

Osamu frowned. "Why weren't we informed of a possible meteor shower? Why did dad not tell me?"

"Dunno."

"He always tells me. Why didn't he." Panic had unexplicably started to rise in his chest.

"He probably forgot." Atsumu shrugged nonchalantly.

"No. He doesn't forget these kind of things." He got up and his twin groaned in annoyance. "Why are ya so tense? It must've slipped his mind. He's been really busy with work."

"No. Ya don't get it." Osamu started to walk in the direction of their house. Atsumu's whines followed him as he headed back. "I'm sure he's noticed by now. Is it that big of a problem if ya two don't watch it together? I mean he took ya to the planetarium and shit already, and bought ya all those magazines."

"It's fishy Tsumu."

"But... Gah!"

Osamu grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and Atsumu yelped in surprise. "It's too many. Too many stars. Dad didn't know and I didn't read it anywhere or heard it on the news. I don't like it. I'm going home."  
  


2 minutes to Southwest Japan 001

"'Samu!"

"I'm going home, I said. Follow me if ya want to otherwise fuck off."

_Run to dad_

"No, 'Samu... Oh my God, 'Samu. Osamu!"

"Didn't ya hear what I just said?? Follow if ya want otherwise -"

But before he could turn around and lash out again, Atsumu grabbed his arm and unexpectedly started dragging him along. "Y'were right! Goddammit run, that one is way too close to be a shooting star."

And to his dismay, as Osamu stared up at the sky for the second time that evening, he had to admit that his brother's affirmation had been correct.  
  
There was no way a shooting star would be that near.

He had been a space nerd, just like Dad, for as long as he could remember. He studied constellations, planets, external forms of life. He religiously checked NASA's updates on their missions, was a faithful Science reader and, as his twin had said, often went to the planetarium.

_Run to dad_

His feet began moving on their own finally catching up to Atsumu's pace.

Meteor showers weren't supposed to hit the earth.

_Run to dad_

Meteor showers **didn't** hit the earth.

And that shooting star was way too close. Way too bright. Way too big.

He hadn't even realized that Atsumu had been screaming something, too preoccupied with his own thoughts that were trying to devour him from the inside. He focused on his brother's ragged voice.

"-HOME'S JUST TEN MINUTES AWAY, RUN FASTER AND WE CAN MAKE IT IN FIVE. HEY, DID'JA HEAR ANYTHING I SAID?"

Osamu didn't answer.  
  


30 seconds to Southwest Japan 001

He closed his eyes and let Atsumu drag him like a doll in the dirt.

_I'm sorry dad_

His brother's shouting had gotten even louder and more frantic, but he wasn't listening. He didn't want to.

_Forgive me please_

Osamu closed his eyes.

(00:00)

And he kept them closed. He kept them closed as a monstrous noise assaulted his ears, as Atsumu ran even faster, as the very own earth under their feet started shaking and roaring. As he lost his balance, tripped and fell, face-first, against the cold ground. As his brother's arms found their way around his body in what was probably a desperate attempt to protect him. As calloused hands grabbed his t-shirt and held onto it for dear life.  
As Atsumu screamed again, loud and raw. 

He kept his eyes closed as the world ended, and when he opened them again nothing was like he remembered.

And the day suddenly wasn't peaceful, predictable or a little boring anymore.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter one is out, featuring my following headcanons: papa miya is a big nerd, Osamu is definitely a daddy's boy (as they both have a more reserved personality) and Atsumu is a mama's boy to the very core.
> 
> Thank you all for reading and for spending time on this story. This will be a wild ride.


	2. I Wanna Strip Myself Of Breath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: The following content may be highly triggering. Please do not read if you know you are uncomfortable with themes such as: DEATH, GRIEVING, IMPLIED VIOLENCE.

The very earth they had been walking upon for years trembled and convulsed under their crumpled bodies, as the entire universe seemed to thunder and howl around them.

Osamu couldn't bear the noise anymore. Face still pressed against the muddy, shaking ground, he tried to bring his hands to his ears in order to give himself some relief. Unfortunately, it was of little to no avail.

He and Atsumu had had the luck of having chosen the most isolated playground of the entire town, one that was situated in an empty, grassy area, devoid of everything except for trees. One that was about one kilometer away from their family home.

And still, the mayhem could be heard loud and clear, even from there.  
At first, it had seemed to have only derived from the soil, but angry metallic clangs had started assaulting his senses too, and he had realized that they must have come from the pipes that used to hold up the volleyball court's net.

And then, a monstrous rumble that seemed to have come from miles away had reached them too, and Osamu had suddenly tasted dirt on his tongue and teeth. He hadn't understood the reason for that until his own throat had started feeling sore, which helped him realize that he had been screaming.  
That part of the noise he so despised was his own voice.

How could he not have, though, once he had realized that _that tremendous_ growl had been originated from collapsing houses?

Houses that he had seen every day, every single day as he headed to school and came back from team practice. Houses he had played in front of when he was shorter than his own kitchen table. Houses whose owners he had talked to, had met more times than he could ever hope to count.

Houses in which people lived.

All those houses crashed down and disintegrated in nanoseconds, and he lay down and listened, still as a statue, as it all crumbled in the distance.

The only things that kept him grounded were Atsumu's insistent hands, that were still tightly grasping the fabric of his cotton t-shirt and had no intention of letting go.

Osamu couldn't tell how much time had passed when the chaos came to a halt, but he knew that even after the hellish noise stopped he kept his head pressed against the terrain, until _those_ hands finally moved from his back.

The silver haired-boy waited and waited, but the annoying voice he was so used to hearing, and that he expected to listen to, never came. Suddenly, the seed of panic, which seemed to have been planted deep in his stomach, bloomed with such force that left him breathless and gasping for air.

Atsumu couldn't have possibly...

His body moved on his own, and Osamu found himself scrambling to his feet and turning around with desperate impetus. He saw two things.

1\. Atsumu, alive and unscathed.

2\. Destruction all around them.

And then he understood the unusual silence that came from his brother.

Osamu didn't move, didn't utter a single word as he tried to take everything in. As he tried to get accustomed to what would become his new world.

The sky was still going down in flames, with countless stars, or rather asteroids, challenging each other in the ultimate race. It was as poetically beautiful as it was terrifying.  
The playground had, obviously, collapsed along with the volleyball net and its iron pipes.

And so had numerous trees.

Osamu mentally thanked God that none of those had fallen on top of him or, worse, his brother.

Sporadic booms could still be heard from far away, but, otherwise, everything else had grown quiet.

No night had ever shined that bright.

What had Dad thought about the monstrous spectacle?

Wait, Dad.  
_Why did you stop running_  
Where was Dad?  
_Why did you give up_  
Was he safe?  
_You could've gotten there already_  
Was he with Mom?

His heart rate had picked up the pace of a runaway train and a million concerns began floating around his head. But then...

"'Samu."

Atsumu had got up too, and now stood next to him as the world burned.

"We have to go home, 'Samu."

The gray haired teen nodded and silently followed after his twin, as the other dragged his heavy feet on the ravaged ground.

Three dreadful questions lingered in the air, but no one found the strength to voice them.

'Are they okay? Where are they? Are they even alive?'  
  


The answers themselves should have been obvious, but human beings are undeniably built on feeble things such as wishes and hope and can, subsequently, sometimes be more stubborn than mules.

It doesn't ever take a lot for them to crumble, though, once the truth is laid bare in front of their incredulous eyes.

Their soul breaks first, then the brain inevitably short-circuits, unable to process _j_ _ust so much pain_ and, at last, the body falls and withers along with the rest.  
  


It didn't, in fact, take a lot for Miya Osamu and Miya Atsumu to realize the discomforting reality of things as they reached _home_.

One look at the pile of rubble and debris that used to make up walls and pavements and ceilings was enough.

Unexpectedly enough though, while the older blonde stood quiet ~~(horrified)~~ in place, the younger fell to his knees in a matter of seconds and _screamed_. For the second time that night Osamu screamed until his throat throbbed and hurt, and for the first time in years he choked on violent sobs and drowned in relentless tears.

Atsumu flinched forcefully and removed his gaze from the scene when the first aching shout of "DAD" slashed the silence. He closed his hands tightly into fists as he tried not to look.

Osamu's words weren't even making sense, and his sentences held no meaning whatsoever. They were all just incoherent, pained pleas sporadically interrupted by laboured gasps.

"N-no... Y-y'can't have... Y're not de-d-de..dead."

The blonde tried to suppress the tears, but failed when he heard his very own name being yelled.

"ATSUMU."

His jaw hurt from clenching it too much but he couldn't do anything about it. Moving one single muscle would mean he'd crumble.

"ATSU-..M..MU PLEASE."

Every single tear felt like a trail of liquid fire against his cold cheeks.

"A-ATSUMU, PLEASE TELL ME THEY'RE NOT DEAD."

How? _How can I tell you that? How can I lie straight to your face?_

He kept quiet. 

  
  
Osamu didn't seem satisfied with that answer, as his cries didn't die down and, instead, only got worse. He crawled on the ground, dirtying his hands and pants with dust, to the bottom of the pile of detritus, but was stopped before he could reach the remains of the house he had grown up in.

Atsumu hugged his younger twin from behind, effectively managing to restrain him.

"DON'T, THEY'RE UNDER THAT. ATSUMU. THEY'RE UNDER THAT."

But the blonde held on tighter and buried his face in the crook of his brother's neck while whispering: "Please, don't."

"DAD... MOM TOO. ATSUMU!"

"I'm begging ya. Stop, please stop."

Another broken sob. The silver haired boy tried to break free from the grip.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Try to breathe. Please."  
Atsumu didn't even think about letting go, opting instead for reasoning with his brother, and, after having continuously struggled for minutes that felt like hours, Osamu had to eventually give in and attempt to do as he was told.

Hushed whimpers soon replaced the screams. Somehow, those hurt even more.

"'Tsumu why."

Tighter.  
"They're gone,'Samu."

"Why..."

Tighter.  
"I don't know."

"What-what do we do now?"

Tighter. _Hold him close for he's the only one you have left._  
"I don't know.."

Long seconds passed but nothing moved. Even the wind seemed to have understood that that moment belonged to silence and silence alone, as it, too, had quieted.  
All in all, it would have probably made for a really nice candid picture. Extremely moving, if anything.  
Two boys, blood of the same blood, knelt down on the street's cracked cement. Leaning on each other for support, as they took in the sight of what was once _home_ , and what would now forever be their parents' grave.

Extremely moving indeed.

Those faces, that had never known despair before, were now stained with ugly tears and twisted in unadulterated pain.

Osamu wasn't even affected by the cold anymore, even if the night progressed in its passing and became chillier by the second.  
Still in Atsumu's hold, he could perceive nothing. Not the touch of his brother's hands. Not the breeze against his skin.  
Not the ache in his throat. Not the fear and uncertainty of what would come next.

The only discernible thing he could feel was the hole that sat in the middle of his chest.

He lied his too-heavy head against Atsumu's and murmured to no one in particular.

"Who's gonna make us Curry now.. ?"  
  


* * *

Fatigue and weariness got the best of them after hours of sleepless mourning, and the two boys fell asleep right there, on the side of the road, in front of what had been their house just the day before.

* * *

October 13, 2012 8:16 A.M.

Atsumu awoke to pain. Pain in every part of his body. From his joints, his limbs and his back, that were screaming for mercy after he slept on the hard cement, to his hands that felt like they were about to fall off from how cold they were. His head was pounding and it almost seemed like his brain was planning to escape from his skull. As he finally got up from his resting position and sat down on the ground, he saw and remembered. The world of dreams had momentarily helped him erase last night's happenings, but the cruel light of day forced him to stare at the remnants of the shattered building that had become his parents' tombstones, and his heart ached more than everything else combined.

Then he noticed the absence of Osamu, and it all became unbearable.

As he was about to start shouting his brother's name into the wind, someone gently tapped his shoulder. Atsumu turned around and saw the other half of himself, staring at him with empty, soulless eyes.

Even if the silver haired boy looked far from okay, far from good, the blonde couldn't help but sigh in relief as his axis shifted back to where it was meant to be.

Suddenly, he remembered the words their mother had decided to ingrain in his brain years ago, after what must've been the umpteenth fight with his brother she had had to break up.

_"Atsumu, listen to me well. I know you two don't always get along, but you have to remember this one thing I'm going to tell you child, alright?"_

Stupid, young Atsumu had nodded distractedly, not really interested in Mom's pep talk.

_"You know how babies come into the world? Alone and afraid?"_

11 year old him had immediately been repelled by the sole mention of birth and babies and had planned to weasel out of the talk, but then Mom had looked at him with _those eyes_ and he had quietly sat back down.

_"You and your brother are special, Atsumu, and do you know why? Because you came to light together. Do you know how much time you have spent without him in your life?"_

He had shook his head no. Honestly, even if getting to be without the nuisance was like a wish come true, it did feel a bit weird to hear about a day in which Osamu _just hadn't been there_.

 _"Fifty-four seconds. You have been here alone for fifty-four seconds before he joined you. He's the person you've spent most time with in your life_."

And he has responded. _"That's not true, mom. You've been with me for longer, dad too."_

_Yes, we have. But someday him and I won't be here anymore you know, we'll grow old and you'll grow big and tall and it will be time for us to go. But you know who will stay next to you?"_

_"'Samu."_

_"Exactly, Osamu."_

_"Mmmh."_ He had hummed, not totally convinced.

Mom had caressed his hair and kissed his nose before adding. _"And how much time has he spent in the world without you?"_

_"Who?"_

_"Your brother."_

_"He was born after me, so none."_

_"Precisely. Not even one second. Do you understand now, Atsumu? You're everything he's ever known, and he's the person you'll forever be with. Twins are blessed by the Heavens, because a piece of their soul will always be safeguarded by the other. You may not think so now, dear, but Osamu is the greatest gift I could've ever given you, and the same goes for him. Promise me you won't forget."_

The greatest gift she could have ever given him.

_"I promise."_  
  


".. Oh, ye'r here."

"Yeah."

Atsumu wanted to speak out but, for once, his loud mouth betrayed him and made it impossible for him to do so. Both him and Osamu were staring at the pile of rubble, again. Both him and Osamu were thinking of the parents they didn't have anymore. Both him and Osamu were grieving, in silence.

"Yanno what hurts the most?" Against every prediction the younger was the one who broke the stillness.

"What?"

"The fact that we didn't get to say goodbye. The fact that y'll never get to wash those dishes."

Atsumu squeezed his eyes shut.

"The fact that I... I didn't tell him anything."

"He knew, 'Samu. She did too."

"Yes, but I didn't tell them. And neither did ya." A heavy, labored breath.

"Yeah.."

"Oh God, I'll never hug him again." A sob.

Atsumu was starting to loathe the feeling of tears running against skin.

Osamu didn't say anything else, he just let himself cry and wallow in self despair.

A doubt arose in the blonde's mind.  
_Would he have wanted to die with them?_

_Does he resent me for asking him to go for a walk?_

_Is it my fault he'll never get to hug Dad again?_

And, at last, one single, terrifying thought made its way through the mess that was his brain and monopolized his attention. _Has he already given up?_

The blood froze in his veins. If Osamu really had surrendered, that left him with nothing. With no one.

No. He wouldn't let that happen. Not now nor in a million years. _"He's the greatest gift I could've ever given you."_

Then and there, Atsumu made up his mind.

"'Samu, get up. We're going."

Incredulity wasn't something he was used to seeing on his twin' s face, but then again, neither was grief.

"We have nowhere to go."

"We'll find something, anything. We can't be the only ones who stayed alive. What about... What about Sunarin, and Kita-san. And Aran? Get up 'Samu. We can't stay here."

He would never leave Osamu behind, even when the other lost the will to keep living, Atsumu would be his strength.

The mention of those names seemed to have lit _something_ , the tiniest of flames, in the younger's heart. And that little something was enough for him to obey and finally stand up from the asphalt.

"We'll come back, one day. I promise."

"Yeah. Okay." One last look behind his shoulder. One last tear. "Let's go now."

Atsumu took a deep breath and nodded.

_"Be brave, my child"_

"I'll lead the way."

As he walked, with his brother's steps resounding behind him, he looked at the morning's shy sunrays and prayed that _someone_ would watch over them.

He remembered Kita's wise words, some of the many ones he used to whisper between soft pillows and bed covers. _"God is everywhere, Atsumu, and he's always watching. But what they don't tell you in church or at the temple is that God can be whoever you need it to be."_

Whoever you need it to be, uh? Deep down, he had always known that Mom was too good to be human.

He slowed his pace down and waited until Osamu caught up. Then he began walking beside him.

_We can do it, but y'll have to watch over us, okay? Let's make a deal, ya protect me and I protect him. Alright?_

His twin's hand found its way to his own and gripped it tightly. The same way he used to do when they were walking home from kindergarten.

Atsumu couldn't help the smallest of smiles from resurfacing.

_He does hold a piece of my soul, after all. Doesn't he?_  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm literally posting this at 3 am of a Saturday night after my friend vomited on me. I'm also drunk. Thank you very much for reading. What am I doing with my liofe.
> 
> Edit: Also, in case anyone was interested, the talk Atsumu had with his mom was actually inspired by one I had with my dad. I don't have a twin but I have sisters, and my dad always reminds me that they are the most important thing in my life, and that once my parents will be gone they will be all I have left. When I was a kid I hated it, but now I find it comforting as hell. I'm also the eldest, so Atsumu's behavior in this will probably be heavily influenced by what I think I'd do in his situation. Finally, thank you for reading!


	3. Stay Alive, Stay Alive For Me

  
"Where are we even going."

"I'm sure they're alive. At least one of them is, at least. And we gotta find 'em."

Osamu sighed but didn't retort as, deep down, he too was living and breathing in the hope they'd finally encounter one of their old friends or acquaintances. He and Atsumu had walked through their entire town, scouring even the most remote corners, and yet had found nothing but the disastrous consequences of the Earth Shaker, that was how the survivors they had been able to speak with referred to the catastrophe as.

Both had found the name to be fitting. For it hadn't been quite an earthquake. Not quite an alien attack. But definitely something that had shaken the very ground under their feet until it was impossible to even stand up. It had defeated the gravitational pull, the general theory of relativity, the complicated laws of physics that Osamu hated learning about in school.

Oh, but what he'd give to be able to listen to his sensei's lessons one last time.

But Atsumu hadn't given up, even after being told over and over again that "no, I haven't seen anybody who corresponds to that description, boy." Even after an old man collapsed and died in his arms. Even after he _saw_ , with his very own eyes, the tiny corpse of a child abandoned on the wrecked street. Even after he walked through hell, he didn't give up. And Osamu had never in his life been more grateful for having a brother.

Because if it hadn't been for the blonde, he would've long decided to _just stop._ Stop walking, stop struggling, stop hurting. Stop breathing. 

He would've lied down on the freezing ground, with a sea of tears rushing down his cheeks, desperately waiting to hear Mother's voice resurface from underneath the debris. To feel Father's warm hands against his skin once again.

But Atsumu hadn't given up, and thanks to him, Osamu had had no other choice but to just keep going.   
  


"Remember what that woman said? There should be a shelter somewhere near. We gotta get there, 'Samu. There's a high chance one of them may have already reached it. They're all young, they're all strong. I'm sure they made it. They _must_ have made it."

Osamu knew. He knew his brother was mostly trying to convince his own self of the fact that they weren't alone in the world. He knew he should've tried to support Atsumu, to indulge his naive prayers. But still he couldn't bring himself to actively agree, to voice his own wishes.

The devilish seed of fear had, after all, been planted deep in his belly. And, quite honestly, getting his hopes up would only inevitably destroy his morale once those were shattered, too.

So he kept quiet.

"'Don't do that. Don't do that now 'Samu. We can't, we can't give up! Think of Ren-san, d'ya think he'd just die without trying? And Akagi-san? Kita-san? Aran? Gin? They wouldn't go down without a fight. Never."

Osamu kept his eyes on the road.

"Sunarin wouldn't either."

He gulped.

"So just... Trust me this once. They're alive 'Samu. I can feel it in my veins. We only have to keep walking."

A trembling sigh left the silver haired boy's aching throat as he nodded.  
"...Alright 'Tsumu. Alright. Let's pick up the pace though. I wanna get there before the sun goes down."  
  


The shelter was both the best and the worst place on the planet.

The best because the twins could finally, finally take a breather. A gentle girl had welcomed them in as soon as they'd walked through the door of what used to be an office. There, she had given them a change of clothes, more fitting to the cold weather than their plain cotton t-shirts, and a blanket. They had also been provided with a bucket of water to wash their weary bodies. And, most importantly, she had gifted them the most important thing of all: information.

According to her, the Earth Shaker's impact point had been a town called Nagi, in Okayama prefecture.  
The city itself had been completely wiped out, and out of its five thousand inhabitants not one had managed to survive.

A gigantic crater now stood in Nagi's place.

And apparently, the destruction's range had reached up to more than 60 miles away. Therefore hitting Hyogo and many other neighbouring prefectures.

She had also told them that all of that had happened four days ago.  
It might have seemed stupid to a foreign eye, but having been given a clear indication of time and place had helped the twins _a whole lot_. Something about knowing precise names, locations and dates had eased their racing minds.  
  


But, on the other hand, it was the worst. Because they had witnessed, yet again, the agony of people who had lost everything, they had recognized their own despair, seen it mirrored in the teary eyes of hundreds of strangers. And nothing could ever soothe the pain such a vision inflicted.  
  


They lay on a mattress for the first time in four days, but the only thing Osamu could think of was the fact that his and Atsumu's shared bunk bed had been softer. His pillow had smelled better, of flowery laundry detergent. His room had been warmer.

Rintarou had been on that softer bed, and he had given Osamu a thousand kisses on it. Atsumu had been on that bed too, too lazy to climb up to his own top bunk, obnoxiously taking up all the space as he proudly showed off the dynamics behind his new serve.  
Grandma had sat on that bed, gently placing a wet cloth on the forehead of a feverish, young Osamu. Mom too. And Dad. And the black cat Auntie had once brought over to their house. And the girl from his class he had been assigned a study project with. And all his friends. And again Atsumu, thousands of times. And Rintarou and his kisses. And Mom. And Dad and his science magazines.

And caresses, soft whispers, their Mikasa ball, wet cloths, black fur, study books, unbridled laughter, sci-fi novels, clean laundry all came back to memory, making it hard to breathe.

Osamu didn't sleep, even if that was the first time he had lain on a mattress in four days.

But it was fine, because Atsumu didn't either. And Atsumu was on that mattress, just like he had been on Osamu's bed. And Atsumu somehow still felt like laughter and smelled of fresh sheets, and had Father's bright eyes and Mother's crooked smile.  
  
  


A whole week passed quietly in the safety of the shelter before the twins' voyage was resumed again.

But this time, with an unexpected addition.  
  


Ito Mirai had greeted them one morning, as breakfast was being served by the shelters' voluntary workers. She had cried tears of relief upon recognizing the Miya twins, her middle school classmates and old playground pals.  
She had hugged them and told them that she, too, was now an orphan.

_"Can I come with you guys?"_

Sure she could.

_"I have siblings up north, we could try to go there. Maybe Tokyo is safe, maybe they're still alive."_

And so they did. They did because they had no better option, and because having a fixed destination, an actual, realistic goal, was more than they could've hoped for. (And because the hope of finding their friends had, regrettably, gradually started to slip from their grasp).  
  
  


Unluckily, they didn't manage to get far enough. Ito Mirai fell ill with a bad cold that turned into pneumonia in the bat of an eye. They had been walking for two days when Atsumu first noticed the girl had been looking really flushed and fatigued. In order to find a hospital they had taken a detour and headed to Kyoto, where they'd hoped to find at least some resemblance of civilization. Some beacon of hope.  
After all, Kyoto had been a glorious city, one of the ancient capitals of Japan, full of history and culture.

But they had been wrong, said a woman on the street as they stopped her for indications. They had been wrong because, in the span of a dozen of days, Kyoto had become a colossal refugee camp. A plethora of people, mostly from the Kansai and the Chūgoku region, had swarmed the city in hopes of finding aid and shelter. Everything had then, predictably, spiraled into chaos.

Supermarkets and stores of every kind had been stormed by the desperate masses, which forced the police to intervene against the civilians. The extreme brutality of the repression had only sparked hatred, and a rebellious wave of protesters had soon invaded the streets. The central government hadn't uttered a single word since the Earth Shaker, and most of the citizens were left to wallow in despair.

It was every man for himself now, said the woman. But Atsumu, brave, courageous Atsumu, had refused to believe that. He had personally carried the febrile girl to every hospital he could find to beg for treatment. By the third they visited, Osamu had understood that not even one would be able, or want, to take her in. But Atsumu kept on being his stubborn self for a little longer.

Once the harsh reality became evident, the blonde took the situation in his hands.

"We'll cure her."

Osamu had frowned. "We can't."

"Yes we can, but first we need a place ta'stay. We'll look for it and if we can't find it, we'll make one. We're not allowed to give up, 'Samu."  
  


And so they did. They found an abandoned apartment that smelled of freshly spilled blood and made it their home-base.

* * *

October 29, 2012 Kyoto

Stealing medicine for Mirai was one of the hardest tasks they had ever had to do and, in all honesty, Osamu found it uselessy dangerous and time consuming. And he had been right for the most part, but, as they say, not all evil comes to harm, because something good came out of that situation. Or rather someone.

Someone who helped him out of a fistfight he hadn't wanted to be involved in in the first place. Someone tall, dark-skinned and intimidatingly well built. Ojiro Aran, in all his glory, stood before Miya Osamu's incredulous eyes after helping him chase away a group of boys, who had clashed with the twin over some pills they both apparently needed.

Tears of joy immediately started cascading from gray eyes, as Osamu got up from the ground he'd been pushed to and steadied himself on shaky legs. It took the other boy in front of him a full minute to understand, to finally _recognize_ that face he had seen every day for years and years. The silence lasted for infinitely long seconds, but as soon as the realization hit, a sob ripped through the quiet and Osamu found himself caged in a pair of well-known arms.

"'It's really you, my God it's really you..."

Aran was hugging him way too tight, clearly not aware of his own strength, but Osamu didn't have it in him to protest. He stood still in place, not daring to move even one single muscle, enveloped in that familiar warmth.

"Oh 'Samu. I was so scared, I was terrified." Hot teardrops ran down both boys' cheeks as Aran's voice cracked and broke repeatedly. "We went to your house and saw that it had crumbled down and... - oh my you're alive."

We?

"Atsumu. What about Atsumu, is he alright?"

Osamu only managed to nod his head yes still stuck on that 'we' . He couldn't, he didn't want to. He didn't dare hope...

But maybe, just maybe.

He thought of golden sharp eyes and weekend trips to the beach, of hair as dark as the night and whispered love songs. Of lips on skin and tongues on teeth and hands in silver strands.

Of smoke tainted kisses and sleepless nights.

He thought of Suna Rintarou but didn't dare ask. What he asked, instead, was: "We searched for ya and couldn't find ya anywhere, not even one of ya. No one knew anything 'bout y'guys and it nearly drove me and 'Tsumu crazy."

"You two must've been faster than us, then, because we searched for you as soon as possible. Oh 'Samu, I'm so glad you're both fine." Aran still didn't let go, and Osamu didn't ask him to.

"Ya said we... Who, who is we?"

"The whole team, the whole entire team."

As much as the boy's brain was trying to make sense of the words he'd just heard, the gray haired twin couldn't, for the life of him, understand such a simple sentence.

The whole team. How could that be? He really hoped he hadn't been deceived by a traitorous illusion produced by his brain and stuttered. "They're all alive..?"

"Yes! Yes, they are." The hug only seemed to tighten.

Osamu leaned his too heavy head on Aran's sturdy shoulder and, for the first time, felt like he had been freed of an enormous weight.

There was no one else to bury, no other ghost that would come and visit him in the nighttime.

"Tell me ye'r not lyin', please tell me ye'r not lyin'." It was barely above a whisper, but Osamu _needed_ to make sure he had been told the truth, because he didn't think he could live through the grief all over again.

There was only a certain amount of pain a seventeen year old could take in such a brief span of time.

A big hand, calloused by years and years of training, ran through silver strands and caressed his hair with a certain type of gentleness that he hadn't felt in a long while.

Warmth akin to the one Atsumu produced spread through his veins and settled in his belly.

"I'm not lying. We were all waiting for you two."

And Osamu thanked the gods for having kept him alive long enough to hear those words.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is out! I'm really sorry it took me so long to write this but I've been quite busy with college and just, life stuff. I hope the wait was worth it though! I'll try to be faster with the next one.
> 
> Also, I miss my sisters (especially my big baby) and I'm reminded of them whenever I write this story, so it's kinda bittersweet for me. Anyway, let me know if you enjoyed this chapter, comments and kudos are always greatly appreciated.
> 
> ALSO, don't expect the boys to all survive just because they're alive right now.


	4. It's You, It's You, It's All For You

October 24, 2012  
Kyoto

In just one, brief, chaotic night the twins managed to learn the other side of the story. Their friends' side of the story.

It turned out, as Aran dutifully explained, that a miracle had kept them all alive and safe from the Earth Shaker. In fact, a fortuitous event had had the team members (all minus one) grouped in one place at the same time.

Volleyball practice.

Thinking back on it, Osamu reckoned scheduling one on that night made perfect sense. The Inarizaki volleyball club was supposed to be playing against their long time rivals, Torashigami High, on Sunday, but their school's main gymnasium had underwent various renovations during the month of October, and had only finally reopened on that Friday. On that last day, when the stars fell and the sky burned.

The boys had been playing in the other, smaller gym, but Kita had thought that a quick game in the main, freshly remodeled one they were used to having matches in would have only done them good.

The twins hadn't been asked to come with merely because they had already done amazing at afternoon practice, and the captain had wanted them to spend their evening resting at home.

But in the end, even if Kita Shinsuke had always been praised by everyone for resembling a divinity more than a human being, all the decisions that he had taken, and which had lead them (all minus one) to the safety of their school's grounds, had been nothing but _random strokes of luck._ Flukes, if you may.

If the circumstances had been even slightly different, if the meteorite had fallen even an inch closer to the gymnasium, each of those decisions could have been their doom.  
And that he knew.

He was perfectly aware actually, and he had also had to, consequently, live with the weight of thinking that he had personally signed Miya Osamu and Miya Atsumu's death warrant and shipped them off to one final, direct trip to the afterlife for months.

Because not inviting them to practice could've meant that, and other thousand things. Luckily, the circumstances, Fate, or perhaps God, had worked wonders to keep them free from harm.

Kita Shinsuke was eighteen, yet he felt exponentially older. And, as any eighteen year old, he didn't know _just how to_ express eteneral gratitude to the Heavens. So he simply hugged his recently found boys and didn't let go.  
  


All cuddled together in the small apartment, each of the team members had told the twins their own version of the happenings of the Last Day.

Ginjima had explained how he had fallen to the ground mid-spike when the pavement had started shaking underneath his feet, Akagi mimicked the way they had all immediately run out of the gymnasium on Kita's erratically-shouted order. Heisuke Riseki, their youngest, sobbed against Yuuto Kosaku's shoulder as the still-fresh wounds that that night had inflicted reopened in his heart. But even as they all tried their best to console the boy and focused on getting him to stop weeping, Osamu could only stare in silence at the empty space on his left.

(All minus one).

"Where is he? Did he die?"

Eight faces turned towards him at the speed of light; Riseki's cries quieted down, too. Aran stared at the younger twin with furrowed brows and a startled expression.

"Who exactly are you talking about, Osamu?"

"Rintarou. Just tell me if he's dead or not."

The dark-skinned boy cried out in disbelief. "Hah?!"

Before any more confusion could infiltrate the conversation, Kita himself decided to intervene and clear up the misunderstanding. "It makes sense that he doesn't know, Aran. He wasn't there that evening, when I told you that Suna wouldn't have been present, he could only have known if Rintarou-kun warned him of his departure on his own. Which he probably didn't, judging by the situation."

The dark-skinned boy nodded in understanding, but Osamu just found himself to be even more confused than before.

_"Suna wouldn't have been present."_

_Why._

Their captain's voice abruptly snapped him out of his thoughts and eased his racing mind by delivering an extremely simple explanation. "Rintarou had had to go to Tokyo with his sister for some family issue that had arose sometime that week. He'd told me privately and I made sure to informed the others who were at practice with me, but you two boys obviously couldn't have known as you weren't present there with us. I'm sorry. I should've told you as soon as we met, you must've been worried sick."

Osamu had stopped listening after the world "Tokyo" had been pronounced.

 _So he's saf_ e

Still, he was having a hard time accepting it. 

"But- But he walked home with me and 'Tsumu. He was with us." Kita smiled, sweet and reassuring, and Osamu suddenly _believed._

 _"_ Yes, I remember. He told me his parents had decided to depart as soon as he got back from school, lest he miss some important classes." 

Atsumu sighed in relief. "Thank God. So he's in the capital now, ain't he? " 

Aran chimed in. "Yes, and that's where we wanted to go, up north in the Kanto region. To find him and hopefully... To find some peace too."

Atsumu nodded in agreement. "Of course we'll look for Sunarin! Besides, Mirai-san also needs to go to Tokyo to meet up with her relatives. We'll all travel together."

Kita seemed relieved. Osamu, on the other hand, couldn't help the terrible feeling that bloomed deep in his guts. He gulped and hid the dark sentiment even deeper, burying it in his bones.

"We'll leave as soon as possible."

If only he had listened to it.  
  


"'R'ya done with the backpack? I need to put my stuff in there too." Osamu huffed in annoyance and threw the gray bag to his bastard of a brother, with, admittedly, too much force. Atsumu ended up predictably whining and complaining about the abrupt, harsh toss. It wasn't like Osamu could be any more mindful or accomodating, all things considered. His nerves were constantly keeping him on edge and the unbridled fear he felt, the inexplicable terror that was pulsating in his veins, almost froze his brain.

He did manage a quick "sorry", though.  
Atsumu did not question him any further.

Instead, he started to hum a nameless song that must've randomly popped into his head as he packed his stuff.

The silence that had befallen upon them reigned sovereign for minutes that felt like hours.

Osamu felt conflicted; should he reveal his uncertainties or keep them to himself, letting them consume his bone marrow from within?

Father's voice, a sound he had almost begun to forget, resurfaced from the depth of his unconscious in the form of a distant memory and whispered in his troubled eardrums. _"You have this bad habit of keeping everything bottled up. Why don't you ever open up, little monkey? Your brother is your exact opposite, always grumblin' about something. You boys should start to learn some things one from the other."_

He had been right, naturally.  
So, with what felt like Dad's guidance encouraging him, he took a deep breath and mumbled: "I'm terribly scared, 'Tsumu. I feel like if we walk this road... We'll never get the chance to go back to how we were."

Atsumu had looked at him, straight in his eyes, and hadn't replied.  
  
  
  


* * *

February 2, 2015  
Miyagi prefecture (Touhoku region) - Military zone N. 18  
  


"What are you looking at?"  
"Mh?" A distracted hum met the interlocutor's ears.   
"I said, what are you looking at, Taiga?"

Said dark-haired man looked briefly at his comrade before pointing at whatever had been hogging his attention.

"Major General Miya?"  
"Yeah." He nodded.  
"Why? Did he do anything?"

The boy merely shrugged.  
The other sighed and muttered under his breath: "You really are a weird one."

That action probably pushed the one named Taiga to add: "He's just... He's really interesting, isn't he?"

"If you say so. He doesn't seem that special to me. He's just less ruthless than his predecessor."

"His eyes don't shine." Was said in a whisper. "And you've heard the stories."

An annoyed huff preceded harshly pronounced words. "Yeah, I have; but I don't believe them. They say he's looking for a long lost brother or something. Truth is, he's just another war fanatic that will lead us to our impending death. Let's go, Taiga, supper is going to grow cold."

But the man shrugged again and his companion, who didn't have it in him to indulge in yet another pointless discussion before having eaten, silently walked away and headed towards the camp's canteen.

Taiga's gaze didn't follow him. It remained, immovable, glued to the man in uniform that stood a dozen feet away front of him.

Major General Miya.  
He had just joined the Miyagi base last week, and had already become the main talk of the entire Military Zone. He just had something about him that aroused everyone's curiosity.  
And Taiga's in particular.

As a matter of fact, he watched him as the military man ate in silence, alone and out in the cold. The chilling weather didn't seem to affect him in any way, though, and he continued to bring the chopsticks to his mouth even as his fingers stiffened and their tips turned different shades of blue.

He was staring at something in the distance, far away from the camp, from the uncomfortable bunk beds where the recruits slept, from the improvised canteen that only served plain, white rice and miso soup. Far away from what everyone saw. He was staring at something beyond the sea, or the mountains. Or the curve of the earth, perhaps.

Taiga would've given _anything_ to get a glimpse of the general's thoughts.  
Unfortunately that wasn't possible, so he resigned himself to simply wondering, and to observing from his current position.

He thought back on the gossippy chatter he had happened to have overheard that same morning in the shower room.

_"I've been told he doesn't speak, like, at all. He only does if he has orders to issue. Otherwise, he's as quiet as a tomb."_  
A voice hummed and rebutted. _"I'm having a hard time figuring him out, to be honest. He doesn't seem as cruel as Major General Nakamura, doesn't push us too far during training, but he isn't that kind either. Just yesterday he shot someone for not obeying his commands."_  
A surprised gasp left the mouth of the third speaker. _"I knew it. Another monster, just like his chums. I honestly can't wait for this war to be over so that we won't have to be take orders from these pigs anymore."_  
Voice number one took the floor again: _"But I've also heard that he's looking for someone he lost."_  
Taiga could only imagine the stupefied faces of those involved in the conversation mirrored his own. _"Who? Maybe a lover?", "_ _Or a friend?"_

A long, pregnant pause filled the air and Taiga himself stopped shampooing his hair for a brief moment, not willing to interfere in any way, lest he missed the words that were to come. 

_"A brother. Or a sibling whatsoever. That's what I know."_

And there, sitting in the dark mere meters away from the actual object of those alleged suppositions, Taiga thought it made sense. The Earth Shaker and the subsequent fall of the world had affected everyone. He himself had lost his mother to the earthquake, and his father to the sanguinary revolts that had wrecked the country, from north to south, east to west. So it made sense, that even Major General Miya now had someone he once loved buried six feet under. Or missing, which, in all honesty, meant the same thing.

Because Hope had sunk with the dead, and so much blood covered the earth of Japan that to find it, one would have to dig through the crimson mass, nails and all. Taiga didn't have the strength to do so; General Miya probably still did.

He couldn't help but wonder how long it'd last.   
  


* * *

February 2, 2015  
Hyogo prefecture (Kansai region) - Independent Refugee Shelter and Camp Hospital "Minamimura" (南村)  
  


Osamu woke up to little Mio's joyous laughter and to a sunray hitting him straight in the face. He groaned and forced himself out of the makeshift bed he had managed to make for himself, in order to stretch his stiff limbs.

A long day was ahead of him, but he considered himself to be lucky. Not many others had the chance to work in the rice plantations instead of dying on the battlefields up north.

With one last drousy glance at his possessions, a gray backpack and a broken wristwatch, he silently prayed that Atsumu's blood, _his own same blood_ , hadn't yet rained down on some foreign ground, and then headed out of the storage room he had made his home with that last wish still on his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, number four! I'm really sorry for the wait but I hope you can still enjoy this chapter. I really will try to get better at updating more regularly.
> 
> Anyway, hope you guys liked the twist, let me know what you thought of it. Thank you for reading and leaving kudos and comments, they always make my day!
> 
> Oh and, from here onwards, I suggest you'll pay close attention to the time stamps :')


	5. Brother I Watched The Sky Burn

February 25, 2015  
Miyagi prefecture (Touhoku region) - Military zone N. 18

The days went by at a disarmingly sluggish pace, as the frigid bite of yet another Japanese winter retreated slowly, giving way to the incoming, silent spring.

But not even the new season, with its feeble warmth, could seem to really reach the camp, much less make its atmosphere a little lighter.  
To Taiga, that place felt like a kind of limbo; no light ever managed to seep through, and nothing ever moved but the obnoxious hands of the old brown clock, hung on the gray wall in the recruits' rundown dormitory.

The stillness, at times, made it almost hard to breathe.

Until, one boring day, at the beginning of March, someone stepped foot in their secluded base and, unknowingly, brought the heat and brightness of the sun with him.

He announced himself as "Colonel Sakusa", and said he had been sent from the Nagano prefecture to Miyagi's Zone N. 18, under direct orders from the Nagoya Headquarters. He, apparently, had been ordered to supervise and write a report on the cadets' training results, which would be later dispatched to the JRA's higher-ups.

The man's arrival and the major news he'd delivered, had completely disrupted the quiet, almost phantom atmosphere of the place.

The recruits were predictably sent into raptures; some buzzed with excitement at knowing that all their efforts hadn't been in vain, that they wouldn't be left to slave away in the countryside for the rest of their lives, and that they hadn't been forgotten by their superiors.  
Some cowered in fear, because if they were deemed as 'good enough' by that black haired Colonel, if their incessant months of training had borne fruit, that would mean they could eventually be called to fight on a real battlefield. Against other human beings. To lay their lives down for a reason they didn't even know, for a cause they had not willingly accepted.

Taiga himself couldn't stay still. It was like electricity had replaced the blood in his veins and was now running around his tense body. He _knew,_ he was sure that things would inevitably change now.

Lost in his thoughts and wild trepidations, he hadn't noticed that everyone else had scattered, and he was the only remaining soldier who still stood in front of the Colonel.

He saluted immediately, and perhaps a bit awkwardly, and bowed his head down to show respect. The other man didn't seem phased by his sudden display of military etiquette, on the contrary he looked quite disappointed by it, and Taiga gulped nervously.

Then he was addressed by a raspy yet somehow sweet voice, which made his back straighten and chin shoot up.

"-Give this to whoever commands this base, and tell them to meet me as soon as they're done reading it." Pale, bony fingers handed him a letter that he didn't hesitate taking.

"Yes, Sakusa- _Taisa_."

Another subtle grimace, and then a nod.  
  
  


"You may enter."

Taiga inhaled deeply before holding the brass handle with shaky hands, twisting it and gently pushing the heavy door open.

"Miya- _Shōshō_ , I've been given the order to deliver this to you."

The blond man looked at the white envelope with evident curiosity, before spotting the golden stamp that stood in its center. He frowned.

"It's from the Main Headquarters, Sir."

"That I can see." And that seemed to be exactly the problem. Might it be that his Major General was in some sort of conflict with the Army leaders?

A deep sigh resounded in the room. "Thank you for bringing this to me. Who gave it to you?"

"A Colonel who's been sent here from Nagano, Sir. He said to read the document and meet with him pronto."

"Why would they send someone of inferior rank? Are _they_ trying to make fun of me?" The venom that managed to taint those words surprised both the speaker who'd pronounced them and the listener, who could now confirm his previous guess with a significant degree of certainty. A heavy silence befell the chamber.

"Alas." the blond coughed out, cheeks painted in a light shade of crimson. "Thank you for relaying the message, I'll tend to this immediately. Go find our guest a provisional accommodation."

Taiga bowed respectfully, trying to suppress the slightest hint of a smile that was forming on his face, and nodded. "It will be done, Sir."

"Good. You may take your leave."  
  


Atsumu nervously paced about his office for minutes that felt like hours, before finally sitting back on his mahogany chair and staring at the innocent piece of folded paper which had just become his most despised nemesis.

What did they want from him? Would they betray him _once more_? Take everything he'd done, all he had accomplished with his new recruits and toss it in the trash without a second thought or a moment of hesitation?

Would they prove themselves to be corrupted to the core?

Atsumu scoffed and neatly opened the envelope with the silver paper knife that patiently lay on top of his desk, tarnishing as it waited to be put into use.

Listlessly, he began reading.

> February 23, 二千十五年*
> 
> Japanese Revolutionary Army  
>  (大日本革命軍) Official Headquarters  
>  Aichi Prefecture, Nagoya  
>  (1-20-5 Sannomaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken 四六0-000一*) - Wartime Capital.
> 
> The Army informs Major General (少将) Miya Atsumu, Commander of the Military Base n. 18, that a supervisor has been sent to monitor the progress of his soldiers and rate the general performance of the recruits.
> 
> The supervisor will be chosen by the Taisei* (体制) and is to be treated with the utmost respect.  
>    
> 
> 
> Await further instructions.
> 
> Liutenant General
> 
> 陸軍中将
> 
> Suna Rintarō

Atsumu read it again, and then again other ten times, and still couldn't understand how _that_ name had ended up at the bottom of _that_ page. Could it really be...? 

Only when he had finally made peace with himself and internalized the fact that, yes, one of his long lost best friends' alleged signature stood proudly on a JRA document, could he proceed with reading the contents of said document a hundred more times. 

He soon found himself thinking that the wording made absolutely no sense, it said everything and nothing at once, and therefore Atsumu concluded that its purpose wasn't that of informing him of an ispector's sudden visit, but rather a more complex one. A hidden one, perhaps. 

If Suna had really been the one to write the letter, then that was a possibility. But then again, that would mean that Suna knew where Atsumu was and had never decided, or had the opportunity, to contact him before. 

Why now? And why with such a complicated message? 

After another dozen of quick readings, his suspicions could almost surely be confirmed. The text contained a cipher, and it was up to him to figure how to decode it. 

* * *

  
  
  
"So, you must be Colonel Sakusa."

The raven haired man looked up and... Was left speechless. Never, never in his life would he have thought the person he'd have to meet in a military camp miles away from home, in the middle of a world crisis, would be one of his former volleyball rivals.

Never would he have thought the once sixteen year old setter would become a soldier.

But the blond, for his part, didn't seem to have recognized Kiyoomi, and was probably awaiting a response or some sign that intelligent life still resided inside Sakusa's body.

"Yeah. And you are..." How was he supposed to call him now? He was his superior in terms of rank, wasn't he?

"Major General Miya, a pleasure to meet you. Let's continue this conversation in my office, if you don't mind. You see I'm not big on-"

"The Kansai-ben." Kiyoomi didn't understand what suddenly got over him, he just knew that hearing the other speak in such a controlled, careful manner didn't sit right with him. Where was the accent he had heard in the past?

Black eyes stared right into hazel ones.  
"The... The what?" Asked a hesitant voice.

Well, Sakusa had already said too much, backing up now wasn't even an option.  
"You used to speak - I mean you, I don't mean to be disrespectful but you just don't sound like yourself if you use standard Japanese."

The taller male could practically hear the wheels turn in the shorter's head, and he decided to take pity on the guy.

"I'm... - I was a wing spiker, the ace actually. I went to Itachiyama High School. We played together, twice."

And there it was, a bright sparkle in the empty void. That was the magnetic gaze that promised victory, glory and gold. That was the person he and his cousin, Motoya, had lost to when they were still awkward first years. 

Miya Atsumu. For a brief moment, Sakusa wondered where his twin was, but immediately decided that it wasn't a question worth asking. He didn't have any right to dig up a stranger's private and likely traumatic memories, not when he himself was nightly haunted by the ghosts of his past.

When he snapped out of his thoughts, Atsumu's fire had already stopped burning again, but Kiyoomi had _seen it_ and that was all that mattered. As long as it was still there, buried somewhere under rotten corpses and broken bones and fueled by regret, fear and hatred, Sakusa knew it wouldn't die down.

And that was all that mattered. Because people like Miya were necessary for the survival of people like him.

Because people like Miya lead troops to battle and _won_ wars. Not that he'd ever admit it aloud, though. 

Atsumu's office wasn't anything like he'd imagined it to be. It was dark, as barely any light managed to seep through the thick curtains that covered the glass stained windows, and extremely quiet.

"Please sit, wherever you prefer." Kiyoomi nodded and dropped down on the first chair he found, watching how the blond did the exact same thing.

Idle chat immediately filled the room, but it was obvious that there was a huge elephant in the room, and that it was currently being ignored. Still, Sakusa didn't feel like pressing any matters onto the other male, and instead decided to keep up the facade for as long as it was needed.

After all, being able to entertain a conversation with a juvenile acquaintance who was still alive wasn't something lots of people could boast about those days.

So he waited, and waited, and waited, until eventually silence fell over the room. Atsumu sighed and said: "As much as I'd like to keep reminiscing our glory days with you, I'm afraid duty calls." To which Sakusa nodded.

"Yes. It does indeed."

The atmosphere shifted completely at that, to a cold and calculated one much more fit for the kind of topic that was going to be tackled.

The ex-setter's hand reached into one of the desk's wooden drawers and pulled out a white envelope Sakusa would always recognize, even if he went blind.

"You brought me this, correct?"

He did. "I did."

"Who gave it to you?"

"My superior, General Miyake back in Nagano, where we worked in Zone N. 2. He told me I had been called on a mission, handed me the letter and sent me here." Sakusa's voice did not waver, not even once, as his mind was made up on telling the truth and nothing but the truth.

"So I'll take it you don't know who wrote it."

"I don't." Kiyoomi agreed.

To be honest, Atsumu didn't sound hostile, but he did remind him of the high ranking officials in his facility. Stern, careful, collected.

"And you've never heard the name Suna Rintarō?"

"That I have. He's the newest member of the Taisei. And although I've never personally met him, I know he's around our age."

Atsumu's expression was hard to describe, but if Kiyoomi had to, he'd probably compare it to that of a dying man who'd been told by his doctors that they'd found a cure for his mortal disease.

But he didn't mention said Suna again, instead he looked back at Sakusa and asked. "What's the Taisei?"

A very genuine "You don't know?" slipped the tallest's mouth before he could even begin pondering the question.

Luckily, the blond shook his head no and didn't add any further commentary.  
"There's a lot I don't know, Sakusa-kun. But I trust you'll be able to fill those gaps for me."

Kiyoomi nodded again. "I will."  
And he did.

_Taisa_ means Colonel, while _Shōshō_ means Major General. 

*二千十五年: Year 2015 written in Japanese kanji

*四六0-000一 : the number 460-0001 written in Japanese kanji

*Taisei: a small group of select officials who "rule" over the various military Zones. Its functions and members will be introduced in the next chapters. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, we finally got to meet Sakusa and, maybe, Suna. Sorry for the wait, I've been really busy this month but I hope I've made it up to you with this chapter. I really hope you guys liked it!
> 
> Also, also, I've thought that it could be really interesting to see if any of you could figure out the cipher in the letter. I swear I'd be so impressed if someone actually did it lol, it took me so long to think of ways to make it work.
> 
> If any of you want a hint though, focus on the numbers and check the bottom of the page for the Japanese translations.
> 
> Oh and if you wanna read the actual letter you can click [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J-Cb69lR4Kl2VZwj4zb68-QUZ3zX-bC_/view?usp=drivesdk)
> 
> [and here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J0Nv0DXNp7QlEnIw4lSPEctOyJMGNuk5/view?usp=drivesdk)


	6. King And Lionheart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story now has a playlist! If you're interested in listening to it, just click [here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/62KdalNhlnhx6Y3hvdfcYQ?si=j2vsH_6-S1asXkjFfhYVrA&utm_source=copy-link)

March 3, 2015  
Hyogo prefecture (Kansai region) - Independent Refugee Shelter and Camp Hospital "Minamimura" (南村)  
  


"Mio, come here! I need my hat!"

The little girl turned around, giggling, and stuck her tongue out teasingly. The young man sighed, failing to hide his own smile. "This kid really."

"Just chase me Nii-san!"

He probably shouldn't have. There was an incredible amount of work he had to get done before sunset, and no time to waste. Still, he couldn't work without his hat, could he?

So he ran, under the warm morning sun, through emerald grass and muddy ponds. His long legs were no match for the child's unsteady steps, and he caught up with her relatively fast.

Mio didn't seem to be disappointed, though, as she had probably predicted such outcome, and started zigzagging around; hat still clutched in her clumsy hands.

"Oh so ye'r not going down without a fight, are'ya."

The only answer he obtained was another, slightly breathy, giggle. "Better be ready for some extreme tickles then."  
No matter how hard he tried, Osamu didn't think he could ever manage to sound menacing while threatening to start a play fight with a six year old.

Mio had just started retreating, without yet an inch of fear in her eyes, only to crash against a large figure that grabbed her from behind.

The girl's squeal of delight made Osamu lift his gaze, to meet the kind frown on Mister Saito's face, who was holding his daughter in his arms while reproaching her gently. "I told you a thousand times to let Osamu work in peace, Mio. He can't spend his entire day running after you and indulging your childish requests."

Said boy felt the need to step in as the kid pouted sadly. "I'm sorry, Saito-san. I shouldn't have let myself be distracted. It's not her fault."

But Mister Saito looked at him with understanding eyes, like he had the first time they'd met. Like a father. And Osamu's words died in his throat.

"It's fine, don't worry about it. We both know how hard it is to resist this mischievous face."

The usual happiness that lived within the girl came back with the strength of a typhoon, as soon as her father planted a kiss on her forehead and told her to go play with her siblings.

But not before properly apologizing.  
"Here's your hat, Nii-san. I'm sorry for bothering you."

"It's okay. I'll see ya all later at dinner."

"Okay, will you play with us then, this evening? And, oh! Are you the one who's cooking tonight??" Big hopeful eyes stared him down, and Osamu felt kind of sorry for Mrs. Saito, who always tried her best in the kitchen but still seemed not to be the favored chef of the household.

(And a bit proud, too.)

"No, my turn is tomorrow, when I'm on infirmary duty. Yanno field workers don't have enough time to prepare meals for everybody."

The girl nodded in understanding.  
"Fine, okay. I'll wait until tomorrow. But you'll play right?

"Sure."

"Great. Bye bye, Nii-san!"

The dark haired boy smiled and waved to the pair, placing his hat back on his disheveled hair while fighting with its rebellious black strands. It was getting longer than ever, and Osamu would definitely have to trim it sometime soon.

He felt that the sun had, strangely, become even warmer once he got back to ploughing his sections of the rice paddies.  
  
  


The peaceful atmosphere of the quiet evening enveloped everyone in its lull. Half of the infirmary's patients had gotten better, some had almost completely recovered, in the span of the last couple of weeks, and that had positively influenced the general morale.  
The children played with the younger refugees in perfect harmony, pretending to be knights or fairies or whatever the heck was popular those days.  
Amongst happiness, though, sat melancholy.

As much as Osamu tried, as much as he fought his racing mind, he couldn't help but miss him. Miss them.

Who knew where Atsumu was right now. What he was doing. If he was even still alive and breathing. If he and Osamu were still the same age, or if one had grown older than the other without even knowing it.

Adventuring down the path of those dangerous thoughts was a gamble. Osamu usually confined them to the back of his brain, as far away as possible, or ignored them in favor of thinking about something else, like manual work. But they eventually resurfaced, all the time, in the most unexpected situations.

And when they did, he felt guilty for all the sins of the world.

How dare he forget his brother. How dare he live and smile when his own blood was possibly dead or enslaved.

Breathing hurt.

Osamu prayed yet again to a silent god, prayed and tried to suppress the violent tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes.

And then, a soft touch brought him back to reality; tiny hands and chubby cheeks shook him out of his own personal cage.

"Osamu-nii, are you okay?"

He cleared his throat, hoping that his voice wouldn't sound too different from usual. "Yes - yes, Mio. I am. Don't worry."

The child stared at him in silence, then sat next to him in the grass. The wind spoke for them, as they remained quiet, staring at the horizon.

"Is Osamu-nii sad?"

Innocent eyes were full of sympathetic apprehension, and the boy felt horrible for being coddled by a little kid.

But still he couldn't lie to her. "I am."

Mio nodded, with a face so serious it almost looked comical. It wasn't an expression toddlers sported a lot, after all.

"Can we do something to help? Maybe daddy can heal you."

Osamu shook his head, but showed the barest hint of a smile.  
"I can't be cured by medicine, I'm afraid. Yanno Mio, when it hurts here," He paused to gently grab the girl's hand and brought it up to his chest, placing it above his heart. "not much can be done."

The kid frowned. "But I don't want you to hurt here."

That time Osamu laughed, genuine and thankful. "Thanks. But it's okay. I'm a big boy, I can handle a little bit of pain."

In all truth, he wasn't sure he could. Every day, with every passing hour, Osamu felt like his chest was being gradually torn apart by an unknown illness that crawled in all his bones.

Mio looked concerned, more than he'd ever wanted her to, so he sighed and stood up from the ground. The girl took the hand he offered her and lifted herself up too.

"C'mon, it's a beautiful night, we can't waste it like this, can we? What do ya say we play house? Call your sister too."

The initial uncertainty on Mio's rosy face was quickly replaced by a childish expression of excitement, one that Osamu very much prefered to see on her.

"Okay! Himiko can be the little sister this time! I'll go tell her!"

Little legs and hurried steps made their way towards the dining hall, where most of the workers and patients were still enjoying their meals or chatting with one another.

Osamu forced himself to follow, hoping that his brother wouldn't hate him too much for his selfish ways.

Hoping he wasn't older than Atsumu. Hoping that he hadn't yet surpassed those fifty-four seconds that had always made him the younger half of a whole.  
  
  


March 4, 2015  
Miyagi prefecture (Touhoku region) - Military Zone N. 18  
  


Atsumu couldn't stop fidgeting; sitting still was proving to be the hardest task he'd had to accomplish in months.

But how could he possibly remain calm and collected after being told, by Sakusa Kiyoomi of all people, that the head of the JRA was lead by corrupt, old generals and veterans, and that a group of young military men, who'd managed to make their way into the higher ranks, were planning to overthrow them.

And apparently, Suna Rintarō himself was one of the incoming Coup's main orchestrators.

Atsumu couldn't believe it. He knew those prehistoric geezers couldn't care less about the country's liberation, nor about going to an actual war against the Central Government, but he had refused to believe they were purposefully hindering the Army's plans.

He clenched his fists tight in a moment of blinding rage. His men. His previous camp. All the hard work... All the sweat and tears Aran and him had spilled on that arid soil.  
Those bastards had needed no more than a minute to take it all away from him.

He remembered it, remembered it all.

How unfamiliar the smell of the air in Toyama prefecture's (Chūbu region) Military Zone N. 7, first had been. How Aran had had to literally cuddle him to sleep in his bunk for weeks, lest Atsumu awake the entire structure and all its workers by suddenly screaming bloody murder in the dead of night.  
How being forced to learn how to shoot and fight was so, so far from anything he wished for, from his secret dream of playing volleyball with his brother again.

And how he had gradually become motivated, become a good (the best) recruit, and then a good (the best) second in command. And then a good - no, a great Major General who loved and cherished the troops he trained.

Who had the best second in command in the whole world.  
A man so kind Atsumu wanted to cry every time he looked at his gentle face. A boy who'd never once abandoned him, who'd always supported him, even when the fever had run strong under his skin, making the blond fight for survival, and had almost won. A hero like Ojiro Aran had, and would have never, left Miya Atsumu alone.

But _they_ 'd forced him to.

Because Atsumu remembered it, too. The day they'd come.

Two extremely tall men, clad in black uniforms, had barged into his room at the first hours of dawn, forcefully dragging him out of bed as he struggled fiercely in their iron grips. They'd then shoved him in a car, as more people rushed out of another vehicle and took over his camp. The last thing Atsumu had seen had been Aran's gentle face, completely screwed up in fear, as he ran towards the car. One of those men with the black uniforms tackled him though, and forced him to the ground. Atsumu didn't see anything else, but he did hear the gunshots, even from a mile away.

He'd later been brought to Miyagi, to his current workplace in Zone. N. 18, and had never heard from Aran or from his men again.

He stood up abruptly and went over to the bathroom, in order to wash his face and try to clear his mind.

It worked, strangely, and as Atsumu came back to his wooden desk his attitude had changed. He mustn't spend precious time reminiscing the past, not when he should urgently address the problem at hand.

If the Suna he knew was the one who had really been able to reach the position of Liutenant General, and if he was effectively aware of Atsumu's existence, then the letter contained a code.

He sinked slowly back down in his chair and grabbed the white envelope.

He then started to read.  
  
  


Atsumu's brain felt like it had been deep fried. In all honesty, he knew he had never been particularly book smart, but he thought he'd at least be able to figure out a dumb hidden message. He rubbed his throbbing temples, sighing in defeat.

He should probably sleep on it and come back to it in the morning, more refreshed and focused.

After long minutes of pondering he did just that; turned off the brown abat jour and headed to his bedroom, that was situated immediately next to the office, and connected to it by another huge wooden door.

He lazily got changed, went to his private bathroom and headed straight to bed, allowing heaviness to creep up his body, into his limbs, into his eyelids.  
  


_"Yo, Atsumu."_   
_Atsumu looked up and smirked as his friend walked over to where he was sitting on one of the benches outside the school's gym. "Sunarin, what's up."_   
_"'Samu and I may have just figured out a totally genius way to cheat during exams. We tried it this morning during literature and Taneda-sensei didn't notice a single thing."_   
_Atsumu's ears perked up comically. He sized up the raven haired boy, as if to try and sense if he was making up lies on the spot, but Suna looked pretty genuine._   
_"Alright, tell me then."_   
_Fox-like eyes lit up. "Pay up. At least five hundred Yen." The blond gasped and dramatically placed his hand in front of his mouth._

_"Fuckin' traitor, how could ya ever do that to me, of all people, to yer dearest friend."_   
_Suna deadpanned: "You're not my dearest friend. Now hand me my money."_   
_Atsumu groaned, but eventually complied when he realized the usefulness of that information. Still, as he searched his pockets for change he venomously spat out: "Yanno, ya really are perfect for my brother. Just as manipulative and bitchy. What a couple."_   
_Suna patiently waited for Atsumu to place the exact amount he owed him on his open palm, and then smiled, faker than ever. "Thanks. We'll make sure to make out on your bed the next time you sleep over at Gin's."_

  
_Atsumu's shrieks attracted some of the other club members, who came over to them and joined in the conversation._  
 _The blond immediately took advantage of that. He knew that Suna wasn't yet comfortable enough to openly talk about his blossoming relationship in front of the team. "Akagi-senpai, Suna is being mean again. He won't tell me the secret cheating tactic he invented with my evil copy."_  
 _The libero laughed loudly, but later began to also demand Suna spill the beans._  
 _At last, Rintarou caved in. "It's very easy, you just have to memorize the order of the English alphabet's letters. And then you can write their numbers on a piece of paper and hide it somewhere underneath your desk."_  
 _Four dumbfounded faces stared back at him, and Atsumu voiced everyone's thoughts._ _"Huh?!"_

_S_ _un_ _a sighed. "It's really not that hard. The English alphabet has an order, right? The letter A is the first, then B is the second, and so on. You guys just have to memorize the sequence. For example, E equals 5, G equals 7. Okay?"_

_Akagi nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I get where you're going. We'll have to substitute each letter with their corresponding number, correct?"_   
_Suna nodded. "This way, if you'd want to write... I don't know, give me a random word." Riseki positively beamed and intervened, excited to be able to contribute to his seniors' scheming. "What about 'bento', Suna-san?"_   
_Suna looked at him, seemingly satisfied with his proposal._

_"Sure, that works. Let's say you guys wanted to write down 'bento', that'd be 2-5-14-20-15. Simple enough, isn't it?"_  
 _Atsumu smiled with the face of someone who'd just single-handedly figured out the secret behind human nature._  
 _"That's actually pretty cool. Our teachers will never figure it out."_   
  


Atsumu woke up with a startle and found himself soaked in cold sweat. His breathing was erratic, and he couldn't comprehend the reason for that. Tentatively, he searched the bedside table with his hand to find the alarm clock that was resting on top of it, and blindy tried to touch it.

The tiny device came to life with a _b_ _eep_ and showed the time on its now lit display. 4:17 A.M.

Atsumu groaned and collapsed back on the bed. Then flashes of his dream finally came back.

High school memories, warm and distant, had resurfaced from the pit of his unconscious and had come to visit him in the dead of night.

Atsumu lay still for a few seconds, then suddenly jumped out of bed and rushed to his office. In the hurry, he even stumbled on a rug and fell to the floor like a fool, but picked himself up again, reached for his desk and forcefully opened the top right drawer.

There stood the letter, in all its damned glory.

Osamu had invented that code, in the back of a loud classroom of the japanese countryside, snickering and smiling at his boyfriend while probably bragging about how intelligent he was.

Osamu, silver-haired, reckless and untouchable, had invented that code.

It was obvious that Suna had used it. He had to have used it.

Atsumu's fingers burned as they came in contact with the paper. He ripped the envelope open for what felt like the twentieth time, and read.

And there they were, the hints.  
The numbers.  
  


> February 23, 二千十五年
> 
> Japanese Revolutionary Army  
> (大日本革命軍) Official Headquarters  
> Aichi Prefecture, Nagoya  
> (1-20-5 Sannomaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken 四六0-000一) - Wartime Capital.
> 
> The Army informs Major General (少将) Miya Atsumu, Commander of the Military Base n. 18, that a supervisor has been sent to monitor the progress of his soldiers and rate the general performance of the recruits.
> 
> The supervisor will be chosen by the Taisei (体制) and is to be treated with the utmost respect.
> 
> Await further instructions.
> 
> Liutenant General
> 
> 陸軍中将
> 
> Suna Rintarō  
> 

"February 23", written in the very first line. Atsumu almost laughed at himself for not having figured that one out earlier. The letter had been handed to him on March 3, why would it have been dated almost two weeks prior? He counted.

23 corresponded to the letter W.

In that same first line, for the year 2015 had been used Japanese Kanji. A clear indication that Suna had wanted him to focus _exclusively_ on the western numbers.

1, 20 and 5 followed. In order, A, T and E.

Atsumu frowned as he came upon the numerous zeroes on the sixth line, but soon decided to not consider them a part of the code, since no letter corresponded to those digits.

The last number was 18.

Which meant R.

Atsumu stood up, as if to stare at the document from a different perspective, but what he saw didn't change. The numbers stood there, immovable, and Osamu's cheerful voice resounded in the air.

23-1-20-5-18.

_"It's very easy, you just have to memorize the order of the English alphabet's letters. And then you can write their numbers on a piece of paper and hide it somewhere underneath your desk."_

Atsumu's eyes welled up with tears. He grabbed his black wallet from where it had been abandoned in between papers and reports and opened it.

A slightly rusted coin was placed in the center of the letter.

_"Pay up."_

Atsumu's voice sounded rough, even to his own ears. But he didn't care.

"Five hundred Yen... just like ya'd asked."

He exhaled, wet and shaky.

"Thank ya, Rin, 'Samu."  
  


Atsumu dried his tears, took the letter in his hands and headed back to his chambers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another one is out, and sooner than I honestly expected lol. I really hope you liked this chapter, you should probably start understanding some of the more political stuff from now on, I promise. Also the misterios cypher had been solved.  
> Do tell me how you liked it and how you think the story will proceed! I always love hearing from you guys.
> 
> (!!!) Also, also, [here's](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IG5_Svzo6MAAE-_-vjjtlmS90-6ZsSrF/view?usp=drivesdk) a little thing to help you out with the geography.
> 
> (By the way, for the people who are subscribed or have bookmarked this story, are you guys getting notifications? Because I'm having a bit of trouble with ao3's platform. It would be great if you could let me know!)


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